1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus in which an image is entered from a developed photographic film and an image processing is applied to the image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, there is widely spread a system for obtaining a printed photograph in which a photographic film is loaded onto a camera to take a photograph, the photographic film after a photograph is developed to form an image (generally, a negative image) on the photographic film, the image on the photographic film is printed on a photographic printing paper, and the photographic printing paper is developed, so that a printed photograph is formed. An apparatus, wherein an image on a photographic film after a development is printed on a photographic printing paper and then the photographic printing paper is developed, which is one of an apparatus constituting the above-mentioned system, is referred to generally as a photographic printer.
Recently, with respect to such a photographic printer, there is known a so-called digital printer wherein a printed photograph is formed in such a manner that an image recorded on a photographic film after a development is read on a photoelectric basis using a CCD photosensor and the like, various types of image processing are applied to the image (in order to avoid troublesomeness in expression, an image on data is also simply referred to as an image) thus obtained through the reading, a laser beam is modulated in accordance with the image after processing, the image is printed on a photographic printing paper by the modulated laser beam, and the photographic printing paper after printed is developed.
According to such a digital printer, in order to obtain a printed photograph excellent in density and color, an image, which is obtained through reading on a photoelectric basis from a developed photographic film, is displayed on a display screen to perform an examination as to density and color, and in addition a designation for a number of sheets to be printed and a printing magnification is performed. A result of the examination as to density and color is reflected, for example, on an image processing condition in an image processing, and the image processing condition, on which the result of the examination is reflected, is used to perform the image processing. A laser beam for printing on a photographic printing paper is modulated in accordance with the image after the image processing. Thus, it is possible to obtain a printed photograph favorable in density and color.
Further, it is known that according to the digital printer, it is possible to obtain an image favorable in density and color in such a manner that to perform an examination, an image of each frame is read preliminarily roughly at high speed from a developed photographic film (this is referred to as a pre-scanning), the image thus obtained by the pre-scan is examined, and a result of the examination is reflected on an image reading condition so that a color of a projection light is corrected and a reading time is controlled to read the image with greater accuracy (this is referred to as a fine-scanning).
Furthermore, there is known a technology of contributing to improving an image quality in such a manner that the fine-scan is performed taking a result of an examination into an image reading condition, and an image processing is applied to the image obtained through the fine-scan taking the result of the examination into an image processing condition too.
Recently, a system referred to as an APS (Advanced Photo System) is used. This system is provided with an information recording section for magnetically or optically recording information on a photographic film, and has such a function that information is recorded onto the information recording section at the time of taking a photograph by a camera onto which the photographic film is loaded, and at the time of printing the information recorded onto the information recording section is read and reflected on the print. The use of a photographic film and a camera suitable for such a system makes it possible that photographic date and/or other comment information are recorded onto the information recording section and comment information such as photographic date is recorded on a printed photograph together, or alternatively that at the time of taking a photograph, comment information such as photographic date is recorded, but a printed photograph free from a record of such a comment information is obtained.
However, now, a color negative film referred to as 135 film is most widely spread, and a camera onto which such a film is loaded for a photograph is also widely spread. Consequently, even if the APS appears, the conventional system as mentioned above will be also used. But, according to the conventional system as mentioned above, comment information such as photographic date is optically recorded directly in a photographic exposure area at the time of taking a photograph and thus it is a part of a frame image on a developed photographic film. Accordingly, it is determined at the time of taking a photograph as to whether comment information such as photographic date is recorded. At the time of taking a photograph, if comment information such as photographic date is recorded, the comment information appears on the printed photograph as it is.
In the conventional system as mentioned above, as a technology of obtaining a printed photograph in which comment information such as photographic date is removed from a photographic film on which the comment information such as photographic date is recorded at the time of taking a photograph, there is known a technology that such a comment information is recorded at a position along an edge of a frame image, and thus only a center portion of the frame image excluding a portion of the comment information is extended and printed.
However, in the event that an important camera subject exists also in a peripheral portion of the frame image, for example, as in a collective photograph, if the above-mentioned technology is applied, there will be a possibility that a printed photograph having no camera subject offers.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus capable of removing comment information, even if the comment information is optically recorded inside a frame image at the time of taking a photograph, without making sacrifice of an image of a peripheral portion.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus comprising:
an input unit for inputting an image from a developed photographic film;
a determination unit for determining whether comment information recorded by a camera at the time of taking a photograph exist inside the image entered from said input unit; and
an erase unit for erasing comment information in an image or for making difficult to visually recognize the comment information by replacing a pixel value of the comment information inside the image confirmed in presence of the comment information by said determination unit by another pixel value.
According to an image processing apparatus of the present invention, it is determined whether comment information exists inside a frame image entered from a photographic film, and in the event that the presence of the comment information is confirmed, a pixel value of the comment information is replaced by another pixel value. This feature makes it possible to remove comment information, without making sacrifice of an image of a peripheral portion.
In the image processing apparatus as mentioned above, it is preferable that the image processing apparatus further comprises a storage unit for storing information of specifying a position inside the image involved in a possibility of the presence of the comment information, wherein said determination unit determines the presence of the comment information in accordance with the information stored in said storage unit.
Comment information recorded on a photographic film can be approximately specified in its recording position, while it is different depending on a camera. Thus, in the event that such comment information exists, a position of the comment information is registered beforehand. And thus, it is possible to decide the presence of the comment information in accordance with the position information.
Further, in the image processing apparatus as mentioned above, it is preferable that the image processing apparatus further comprises a storage unit for storing information of specifying a color and/or a density of the comment information, wherein said determination unit determines the presence of the comment information in accordance with the information stored in said storage unit.
A color of comment information is approximately determined, while the comment information recorded on a photographic film is different depending on a camera. Thus, in the event that such comment information exists, information as to a color and/or a density of the comment information is registered beforehand. And thus, it is possible to decide the presence of the comment information in accordance with such information.
Furthermore, in the image processing apparatus as mentioned above, it is preferable that the image processing apparatus further comprises a storage unit for storing information of specifying at least one of a color and a density of the comment information, and a position inside the image involved in a possibility of the presence of the comment information, wherein said determination unit determines the presence of the comment information in accordance with the information stored in said storage unit.
As mentioned above, comment information recorded on a photographic film can be approximately specified in its recording position, and a color of the comment information is determined, while it is different depending on a camera. Thus, information of specifying at least one of a color and a density of the comment information, and a position of the comment information is registered beforehand. And thus it is possible to decide with greater accuracy the presence of the comment information through determination as to whether one associated with the color and density exists at the associated position.
Further, in the image processing apparatus as mentioned above, it is preferable that said erase unit replaces a pixel value of the comment information by a pixel value produced in accordance with a pixel value of an area closed to the comment information.
This feature makes it possible to more clearly erase the comment information as compared with a scheme in which the comment information is covered evenly with for example black or gray.